The Women is an audiobook by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan and Kristin Hannah. The unabridged Audible edition runs 14 hrs 57 mins.
Publisher’s Summary
A 2025 Audie Award winner for Best Fiction Narrator!
“Kristin Hannah’s potent storytelling skills are brilliantly served by narrator Julia Whelan, whose limber, low-pitched voice moves nimbly from person to person, capturing personality and mood, her empathy palpable.” —The Washington Post
“A moving, skillfully narrated story about women’s friendships and the ongoing physical and mental consequences of war.”—Library Journal
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan and Kristin Hannah
- Length: 14 hrs 57 mins
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Release year: 2024
- Audible category: Literature & Fiction / Genre Fiction / Coming of Age
Listener Ratings
The Women holds an average listener rating of 4.8/5 from 59435 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.9/5
- Story: 4.8/5
- 5-star ratings: 89% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
5/5 stars — “WOW. Just Wow”
I’m 73 now which means I grew up in this era. I REMEMBER it all. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and sometimes both at once. I’m an avid reader and I can say without a doubt this has been the best book I have ever read and will never forget. Thank you for your service— Joanne DeVuono, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Great story”
I’m a huge fan of Kristin Hannah and Julia Whelan. I never write reviews but this was a phenomenal book. I’ve been waiting for this book to come out for months. It’s an awesome story about kick-ass women and the hardship of the Vietnam War – before, during, after. Listening to the post-war experiences in this story was also incredible.I love Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction. She is consistently great. And Julia Whelan could narrate the dictionary and I’d listen. I anticipate I’ll be re-listening to this book because it’s such a powerful, engaging story.
— AJ Frithiof, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “A history and characters that keep the reader interested and caring”
A well written history of the role of Army nurses particular both sacrifes during the Vietnam War and their troubles upon return to an ungrateful nation. A fantastic read— Pat Donohue, Audible listener
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